Our network comprises over 70 member organisations across 30+ countries, forming a unique ecosystem.
Through this strong collaboration, we extend our collective impact—representing over 100,000 organisations and supporting 1.3 million jobs, primarily via national federations and dedicated support networks
BOOSTING COMPETITIVENESS
We advocate for impact-driven enterprises as key drivers of sustainable growth, uniquely positioned to meet the rising demand for ethical, environmentally responsible, and socially impactful products.
Internal skills development is key to operational excellence and maximising our network’s impact. By fostering continuous learning, we enhance team capabilities, drive innovation, and ensure sustained success across the organisation.
Check our Internal Impact Measurement Workshop
Participating in events is crucial to stay ahead in skills development, build strong partnerships, and help shape a resilient European workforce. By joining the "Pact for Skills Forum: Unlocking the Skills Potential Across EU" we commit to strengthening our network and driving change in te skills development landscape.
Learn more about the Pact for Skills
Diesis Network creates skills development opportunities through capacity-building projects, enhancing competences, identifying skills gaps and fostering continuous learning. Our initiatives empower individuals and organisations to grow and meet evolving skills challenges across industrial sectors.
Discover the Blueprint Alliance for Social Economy and Proximity Skills - baSE
Check out the activities under Social Economy Transition Skills - SETS
We foster collaborations between social enterprises and traditional businesses, ensuring that technological innovation and environmental sustainability benefit all communities.
Read our Policy Recommendations on collaboration between SEEs and the private sector
Through tailored trainings and the EU-wide campaign, we support social economy actors in navigating and participating effectively in public procurement procedures, and encourage contracting authorities to integrate social considerations into their purchasing policies.This initiative was carried out in partnership with the European Commission and formed part of the WeBuySocial EU tender.
Review WeBuySocial trainings
We explore the critical role of social dialogue in shaping policies that promote a more inclusive and sustainable economic framework through initiatives like SEDLEX or MESMER+.
Watch Mesmer +: Mapping European Social Economy
Review SEDLEX first European event highlights
Gender equality is a transversal pillar of our work, and a key aspect to sustainable and inclusive growth. As members of CECOP we collaborate in the organisation of the “CECOP Mutual Learning sessions 2024” to explore practical tools to enhance gender equality in the federations and the cooperatives affiliated to national and regional federations.
Read more about these sessions
Our 16 Days of Activism campaign, carried out under the TEAMWORK2 project, brought attention to gender-based violence (GBV) in the workplace, highlighting the urgent need for safer, more inclusive work environments.
To continue our work on raising awareness of sexual harassment at work, we also hosted the session”Breaking the Silence: A Feminist Approach to Workplace Harassment”, during the "Day of Well-Being and Creativity" by Tulipane Design in Brussels.
A 2024 highlight was presented at the 5th "Gender Equality Task Force" seminar, showing how cooperatives and social economy organisations can lead in promoting safety and gender equality.
Check out TEAMWORK E-learning platform aimed at equipping employers with the skills to address and prevent GBV in the workplace
GREENING THE ECOSYSTEM
We implement a participative approach to sustainability, engaging communities across sectors and stakeholders.
Our participatory approach to the green transition engages communities, industries and policymakers.
With a strong focus on capacity building, we equip SMEs with the resources, training, and support needed to adopt sustainable practices.
We build the skills of educators, implement local empowerment programs, and develop policy guidelines to foster an enabling environment for women’s green entrepreneurship in rural communities.
We foster knowledge exchange and build new capacities to promote new solutions for sustainable housing and energy poverty.
We created the first locally adaptable models for sustainable housing energy, placing social economy principles, frameworks, and values at the core of their design and implementation.
Keeping our network informed about the latest developments, reforms, and opportunities within the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is crucial.
Understanding CAP's complexities empowers stakeholders to engage in policy, adapt to change, and promote sustainable, and inclusive agricultural practices.
GOING DIGITAL
Select the right word to discover how we support the digital transition of our network.
LOCAL COMMUNITIES AT THE CORE
Local communities are essential to nurturing inclusive and sustainable development, playing an essential role in revitalising territories, preserving social cohesion, and driving innovation from bottom-up.
We raise awareness and provide young generations with training in food sustainability.
Vet4Food project bridged the training gap in food VET schools by improving the sustainability skills of both teachers and students.
Through SEA4NEB, we promote social economy models aligned with the New European Bauhaus by showcasing good practices of territorial regeneration led by or involving social economy actors and local authorities in Croatia, Italy, and Latvia.
At the final conference, we shared outcomes of the Peer Review process and local experiences.
By advancing job carving and crafting as effective work (re)integration approaches we promote inclusion and diversity in employment.
We support vulnerable groups—such as people with disabilities, long-term unemployed, NEETs, and migrants—by strengthening their employment pathways and building the capacity of enterprises to become inclusive employers.
We strengthen the capacities of youth-focused organisations in the Western Balkans to promote eco-social entrepreneurship (ESE) through non-formal education.
We involvedyouth practitioners and young people in pilot activities, building a strong foundation for long-term impact in the region.
By developing practical tools and tailored educational resources we advance the digital inclusion of third-country national women.
By understanding their specific digital needs and improving their skills, the greater social integration is improved and therefore a better quality of life guaranteed.
FROM DIALOGUE TO ACTION
In 2024, we expanded our member network by organising events, fostering knowledge-sharing, and engaging with international stakeholders. These efforts help us stay aligned with emerging trends and create new opportunities for collaboration and innovation.
The Belgian Presidency Conference gathered over 600 participants—including policymakers, social economy practitioners, and researchers—to explore the role of the social economy in advancing green, digital, and inclusive transitions across Europe
During the workshop “The Future of Diesis Networking Meeting – Updating our vocabulary” a key focus was placed on rethinking and updating the network’s glossary to better reflect the evolving landscape of the social economy. This session aimed to clarify core terminology, align internal communication, and ensure consistency across projects and partners. Our members explored how emerging narratives in the social economy are reshaping key concepts, with the goal of identifying gaps, improving shared understanding, and strengthening the network’s strategic direction.
The Romanian SE Conference “Enterprising Tomorrow” brought together over 220 in-person attendees including European policymakers, social entrepreneurs, and representatives from academia and civil society. Highlights included the Buy Social Expo, showcasing products from social enterprises; the launch of the upcycled OPYA Fashion collection by designer Irina Schrotter; and the “Accelerator of Social Enterprises” Gala, which honored 18 outstanding organisations.
The Lifelong Learning Platform (LLLP) hosted its inaugural LLLP Days from 17 to 19 June 2024 in Brussels, coinciding with Belgium's Presidency of the EU Council. This three-day event brought together education and training stakeholders to discuss the future of lifelong learning in Europe.
“The Future of Diesis Networking Annual Event and General Assembly” meeting marked an important moment for our community, building on the momentum and achievements since the launch of our Manifesto in 2020. As the network’s reach and influence have grown significantly across Europe and beyond, this gathering was dedicated to shaping our future direction—reflecting on past successes while focusing on the evolving potential of the social economy sector.
During the “The Future of Diesis Networking Meeting – Defining our objectives Milan” meeting, we took a significant step forward in shaping our strategic direction by defining clear objectives to guide the development of the upcoming Diesis Network 2025–2030 Action Plan.The meeting served as a crucial milestone in preparing to present a forward-looking, member-driven strategy that will steer the network over the next decade.
"The Rural Pact Conference: Enhancing Policy Coordination for Vibrant Rural Areas" organised by the Rural Pact Support Office gathered around 130 stakeholders—including national and regional policymakers, rural advocates, and EU representatives. The event highlighted the importance of translating the EU rural vision into actionable strategies at all levels, ensuring that rural communities are empowered and equipped to thrive in a sustainable and inclusive future.
The EU Proximity and Social Economy Platform launched in December 2024, marking a significant milestone in the European Commission's efforts to bolster local economies and social innovation across Europe. This digital platform serves as a collaborative hub for stakeholders from the sector, including cooperatives,social enterprises, NGOs, local authorities, and SMEs. It aims to facilitate the green and digital transitions by providing resources, networking opportunities, and support for sustainable practices.
The “DNA Diesis Networking Action plan 2025-2030” online meeting offered a valuable opportunity to present the newly co-created Diesis 2025–2030 Action Plan, a strategic roadmap shaped in collaboration with members throughout the 2024 “Future of Diesis” process. The meeting underlined key priorities for the short term (2025–2027), laying the groundwork for impactful action in the years ahead.
CONNECTING WORLDWIDE
By connecting with like-minded organisations and diverse stakeholders worldwide, we aim to strengthen our impact— by fostering collaboration and innovation to effectively adapt to an ever-evolving global landscape.
Colombia and Honduras
In 2024 we held a series of exchanges within the Green Pymes project with our partners in Latin America.
We hosted our partners in Belgium to look at the practices within the local SMEs ecosystem in the topics of agri-food, circular economy, waste management and sustainable tourism. We visited Colombia too and shared the insights on SMEs green practices from Europe.
Cameroon
We support rural female green entrepreneurship in Cameroon through the GREASE project, together with our partners from the Western Balkans and Cameroon.
In 2024 we visited Cameroon to participate in FORA’EES- Social and Solidarity Economy African Forum and gather enriching insights from the partners’ field activities and networks within the local communities that would feed into a co-created capacity building programme available in 2025.
Mercosur (Brasil, Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay)
We continue to work with SMEs in the Mercosur area and promote their sustainable development, focusing on green and digital economies.
Within the Innov-Hubs ‘Ecological and Digital Social Innovation Centres’ project, we support SMEs in the transition of their production systems into more environmentally friendly; and also contribute to the employment of young people and women in the territories of implementation.
Western Balkans
The Western Balkans Alliance for Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Innovation (WBASE) reaffirmed its interest in supporting and furthering the development of sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation in the region and beyond.
Composed of nine Diesis Network’s members and external stakeholders, it is a vibrant community of practice steering towards a more sustainable, equitable and socially conscious economy. The Alliance continues to work on strategic direction and a roadmap for future activities on a mid-term level, focusing on mutual understanding, collaboration, partnership, and extension of its membership.
LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE
Slide the images to discover how we’re shaping a sustainable future through the digital, green, and blue economies.
The digital economy is transforming business operations. We will support SMEs with tools to innovate and stay resilient by promoting digital literacy, tech adoption, and data cooperatives—helping them thrive responsibly through AI, smart tech, and collective data sharing for more transparent and sustainable models.
The green economy is gaining momentum as SMEs increasingly align with sustainability goals and adopt circular models. We aim to help them integrate ESG principles, with a focus on supporting rural and local communities, fostering inclusive growth and driving sustainable development across all regions.
The blue economy plays a key role in sustainability, particularly in coastal and marine sectors. We continue to support SMEs in this area, promoting sustainable ocean and waterway management to balance economic growth with environmental preservation.
Embracing Green, Digital, and Blue Economies for Sustainable Impact:
As we look ahead, the evolution of the social economy is closely tied to global transformations—particularly the rise of the green, digital, and blue economies. These emerging models offer not only transformative opportunities but also play a crucial role in fostering sustainability, empowering SMEs, and generating long-term impact.